The invention relates to an optoelectronic sensor comprising an integrated arrangement of a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in the region of an optical receiving system for the illumination of a sensing region, with beam-shaping optical elements being associated with the light emitting diodes.
Optoelectronic sensors are known from the prior art and are used, for example, both for object sensing and in particular for the sensing of codes. In this process, simple sensors work without beam-shaping optical elements, which has the consequence that a comparatively large proportion of the light transmitted by the light emitting diodes does not reach the sensing region so that the illumination of the sensing region ultimately does not take place in a very efficient manner.
Sensors for demanding applications improved with respect to sensors of this type are, as already mentioned above, fitted with beam-shaping optical elements in front of the light emitting diodes. These beam-shaping optical elements ensure that the light radiated from the light emitting diodes reaches the sensing region as completely as possible so that increased efficiency can be achieved here with the illumination.
However, despite the provision of beam-shaping elements, it is not yet possible with known optoelectronic sensors to generate respectively desired illumination profiles in the sensing region which are required for specific applications. It is, for example, desirable in many applications to ensure an illumination of the sensing region which is as homogeneous as possible. In other applications, however, a more intensive illumination of the sensing region at its edges can also be desired (peripheral increase). Furthermore, it is often desirable, for example with optoelectronic sensors having light emitting diodes arranged over a rectangular area to direct the light radiated from these light emitting diodes as completely as possible to a square sensing region.
Illumination profiles of this type with their respective characteristics cannot be generated or can only be generated in inadequate quality by optoelectronic sensors of the initially named kind.